Dishwasher drain valve



1956 H. L. ERICKSON ETAL 3,266,518

DISHWASHER DRAIN VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.. 1, 1963 16, 1966 H.L. ERICKSON ETAL 3,266,518

DISHWASHER DRAIN VALVE Filed Aug. 1, 1963 2 Sheets$heet 2 IVENTOR5fizuardieeiz z'cfrsazz zfaer Jo/zzz firooffs United States Patent3,266,518 DISHWASHER DRAIN VALVE Howard L. Erickson, Bensenville, andRobert J. Brooks,

Mount Prospect, 11]., assignors to The Dole Valve Company, Morton Grove,11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 299,387

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-577) This invention relates generally to a drainassembly and more particularly to a drain assembly unit which is adaptedfor use in an automatic dishwasher.

This invention encompasses, in substance the formation of compactone-piece drain assembly casing and attached solenoid actuable valvewhich can be easily installed in an automatic dishwasher.

In accordance with this invention the drain assembly includes a moldedplastic casing having a plurality of inlets formed therein whichcommunicate with a single outlet that is adapted to be connected,through a suitable fitting, to a conventional drainpipe.

The drain assembly unit is dimensioned so that it can be mounted at thebottom portion of a Washing chamber in an automatic dishwasher and hasan upwardly projecting standpipe inlet for maintaining a predeterminedliquid level in the washing chamber. Complete removal of the liquid inthe chamber is accomplished by means of a disposal-drain inlet which ispositioned at the lowermost portion of the chamber for effectingthorough drainage. A plurality of nippled inlets are provided forindependent removal of certain separate waste liquids, such as detergentoverflow and splash water. The disposal-drain inlet opens directly intoa conduit that terminates in a sharply defined open end. Selectivecontrol of the flow through the disposal-drain inlet is maintained bysolenoid actuable valve having a resilient, round-ended valve head whichseats on the sharply defined opening in line contact fashion, therebyminimizing particle entrapment and valve chatter.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved drain assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcompact drain assembly for use in an automatic dishwasher.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedone-piece drain assembly unit which can be quickly and easily installedin an automatic dishwasher.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved drain assembly unit for an automatic dishwasher which can bequickly and easily removed, thereby minimizing shutdown time whenrepairs to the unit are necessary.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved,automatically controlled, solenoid actuable drain assembly unit for anautomatic dishwasher.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedvalve head and seat arrangement wherein particle entrapment andvalvechatter are minimized.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description, whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which, by wayof preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of a drain assembly unit constructedin accordance wtih the principles of the present invention. I

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the drain assembly unit shownin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the drain assembly unit shown inFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross sectional view, taken along lines IV-IV ofthe drain assembly shown in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along lines V-V of the drain assemblyunit shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an end view, shown in elevation, of the drain assembly unitcasing from which the solenoid actuable valve has been removed.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 there is provided a drain assembly unit11 having a pressure molded casing 12 composed of a suitablethermoplastic material such as nylon and an encapsulated solenoid valve13 mounted to said casing 12.

In order to insure complete drainage the casing 12 is mounted to thebase of a Washing chamber in an automatic dish washer by means of holes14a, 14b, 14c and 14d which are formed in the casing 12 during themolding operation and which are adapted to receive selfthreading screwsto thereby facilitate installation. A foursided, vertically projectingstandpipe inlet 16 is provided in the casing 12 for maintaining apredetermined liquid level in the washing chamber. At the upper end 16aof the standpipe inlet 16 a pair of grooves 17a and 17b are provided tofacilitate flow by breaking of surface tension and thereby providinggreater flow area. Also, if desired a screen member (not shown) can beretained in these grooves to prevent food particles from entering thedrain assembly unit 11.

Complete evacuation of all the liquid in the chamber is accomplishedthrough a disposal-drain inlet 18 that is positioned to occupy thelowermost portion of the wash ing chamber. If desired, a screen membercovering the disposal-drain inlet 18 can be inserted between the upperface of the casing 12 and the base of the washing cham- Nippled inlets19 and 21 are outwardly projected from the casing and are adapted to beconnected by means of a flexible tubing or the like to separate Wastecollectors such as detergent overflow and splash water trays. Of course,any number of nippled inlets can be formed, depending on therequirements of the particular automatic dishwasher. If the exact numberof nippled inlets that are to be required is not known at the time ofmanufacture, it maybe desirable during the molding operation to providea large number of these inlets. If this is done however, a thinfilm-like layer of the thermoplastic material should also be formedcovering the inner end of the inlets. Then, if the particular nippledinlet is to be used, the film-like layer covering its inner end caneasily be removed by puncturing.

Each of the above described inlets communicate with a single outlet 22,rearwardly projecting from the casing 12. The outlet 22 is adapted to beconnected through a suitable fitting to a conventional drainpipe fordisposal of the Waste liquids from the dishwasher.

Internal stresses in the casing '12 which arise by reason of unevencool-ing can be eliminated by the forming of a pair of slots 23 and 24in the casing 12 during the molding operation. These slots act toprovide uniform wall thickness and therefore, corresponding even coolingthroughout the casing.

Screw receiving flanges 26, 27 and 28 are formed around the perimeter ofone end of the casing and are adapted to receive valve mounting screws29, 31 and 32 respectively, which rigidly secure a retaining plate 33 tothe casing 12. Securement of the retaining plate 33 to the valve 13 isaccomplished by means of a U-shaped bracket 34 having a pair of legs 36and 37 with a slot 38 formed in each. The slot 38 is sized for insertionover one of a pair of lips that laterally extend from the retaining:plate, as is shown at 39. When the slots formed Patented August 16,1966 in the legs of the U-shaped member are press fitted over thelaterally extending lips a rigid attachment of the bracket 34 to theplate 33 results. The U-sha-ped bracket 34 itself is secured to thevalve 1 3 by means of a locknut 41 that embraces a threaded stud member42 which passes through a hole in the bight portion 43 of the U- shapedbracket 34.

Activation of the solenoid valve 113 is accomplished through terminals44 and 46 which extend outwardly from the rear of the encapsulatedsolenoid valve 13.

The internal structure of the drain assembly unit .11 is shown inFIGURES 4, and 6. The standpipe inlet 16 and nippled inlets 19 and 21open directly into a channel 48, through which they communicate withoutlet 22 for removal of waste liquids. The disposal drain inlet 18 isintegrally connected to a conduit 49 that terminates in a sharplydefined open end 51, which serves as a seat for a round-ended valve head52. The valve head 52 is preferably composed of a flexible, resilientmaterial such as a soft rubber and has an outwardly projecting flexibleskirt 5 3. Leakage from the end of the casing 12 adjacent the solenoidvalve 13 is prevented by means of a lip 54 formed at the outer peripheryof the flexible skirt '53 which is adapted to sealingly engage with acircular groove 56 formed in the casing 12. The resilient valve 52 issnap fitted over a round-ended portion 57 of an armature 58 that isslidably mounted in a cylindrical hole 59, defined by a coil 61 of thesolenoid valve 13. If desired, an encapsulated covering 6' 2 over thecoil can be provided.

A helically wound spring 63 bottoms on an inner portion 6 4 of retainingplate 33 and is compressed against a disc member 66 which is fixedlysecured to armature '58. The force exerted by the spring 6 3 on the discmember 66' urges the resilient valve head 52 into a seated positionagainst the open end 51, thereby closing off conduit 49 from outlet 22.When complete evacuation of the washing chamber is desired the coil 61is activated and armature 58 is drawn against a plate member 67, therebyunseating the valve head 52 and permitting waste liquids tollow fromdisposal-drain inlet 18a through conduit 19 into outlet 22.

It will be understood that this embodiment of the invention has beenused 'for illustrative purposes only and that other modifications andvariations in the invention may be effected without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts hereof.

We claim as our invention:

1. A drain assembly for use in an automatic dishwasher having a chamberfor receiving dishes to be washed comprising:

a plastic casing positionable at the lowermost portion of said chamber,

a tubular outlet formed in said casing outwardly projecting from saidcasing and connectible to a waste disposal system,

a tour-sided standpipe inlet outwardly projecting from said casingcommunicating with said outlet for maintaining a predetermined liquidlevel in said chamber,

a plurality of nipple-shaped auxiliary inlets formed in said casingcommunicating with said tubular outlet,

a disposal-drain inlet communicating with said outlet and opening to thelowermost portion of said. chamber for complete removal of the dishwaterfrom said chamber,

a tubular conduit having one end integrally connected to saiddisposal-drain inlet and terminating in a sharply defined open endopposite said disposal-drain inlet and communicating with said outlet,

a flexible, round-ended, resilient valve head positioned within saidcasing and seatable on the sharply defined open end of said conduit,

said resilient valve head having a flexible skirt outwardly projectingtherefrom and sealingly engaged to said casing for preventing leakagefrom said casmeans for moving said valve head,

said round-ended valve head having line contact with said sharplydefined open end when in its seated position thereby minimizingentrapment of waste particles carried by said dishwater between saidopen end and said valve head.

2. A drain assembly for use in an automatic dishwasher having a chamberfor receiving dishes to be washed comprising:

a casing positionable at the lowermost portion of said chamber,

a tubular outlet formed in said casing outwardly projecting from saidcasing and connectible to a waste disposal system,

a standpipe inlet outwardly projecting from said casingcommunicatin-gwith said outlet for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in saidchamber,

a plurality of nipple-shaped auxiliary inlets formed in said casingcommunicating with said tubular outlet,

a disposal-drain inlet communicating with said outlet and opening to thelowermost portion of said chamber for complete removal of the dishwaterfrom said chamber,

a tubular conduit having one end integrally connected to saiddisposal-drain inlet and terminating in a valve seat and communicatingwith said outlet,

a resilient valve head engageable with said seat to control the passageof waste liquid therethrough,

said resilient valve head having a flexible skirt outwardly extendingtherefrom and sealingly engaged to said casing for preventing leakagefrom said casing, and

means for moving said valve head into and out of engagement with saidvalve seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,470,775 10/1923Stephen -s l58-46.5 1,844,528 2/ 1932 Smith 251-331 2,603,445 7/ 1952Marc'hant 251331 .X 2,672,293 3/ 1954 Ludlow 25 l33l X 3,033,274 5/ 1962Webb 15 846-.5 3,102,711 9/ 196 3 Filliung 251-335 M. OARY NELSON,Primary Examiner.

W. CLINE, Assistant Examiner.

2. A DRAIN ASSEMBLY FOR THE USE IN AN AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER HAVING ACHAMBER FOR RECEIVING DISHES TO BE WASHED COMPRISING: A CASINGPOSITIONABLE AT THE LOWERMOST PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER, A TUBULAR OUTLETFORMED IN SAID CASING OUTWARDLY PROJECTING FROM SAID CASING ANDCONNECTIBLE TO A WASTE DISPOSAL SYSTEM, A STANDPIPE INLET OUTWARDLYPROJECTING FROM SAID CAS ING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OUTLET FORMAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL IN SAID CHAMBER, A PLURALITY OFNIPPLE-SHAPED AUXILIARY INLETS FORMED IN SAID CASING COMMUNICATING WITHSAID TUBULAR OUTLET, A DISPOSAL-DRAIN INLET COMMUNICATING WITH SAIDOUTLET OPENING TO THE LOWERMOST PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER FOR COMPLETEREMOVAL OF THE DISHWATER FROM SAID CHAMBER, A TUBULAR CONDUIT HAVING ONEEND INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID DISPOSAL-DRAIN INLET AND TERMINATING INA VALVE SEAT AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OUTLET, A RESILIENT VALVE HEADENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SEAT TO CONTROL THE PASSAGE OF WASTE LIQUIDTHERETHROUGH, SAID RESILIENT VALVE HEAD HAVING A FLEXIBLE SKIRTOUTWARDLY EXTENDING THEREFROM AND SEALINGLY ENGAGED TO SAID CASING FORPREVENTING LEAKAGE FROM SAID CASING, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID VALVEHEAD INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VALVE SEAT.